DIY Interactive Water Check Logo

  • Learn how to save water and save cash!

    Wai (water) is one of our most important natural resources, but we usually take it for granted because for most of us, access to clean and fresh water is as easy as turning on the tap. The good news is that it’s incredibly easy to change habits and take a few simple actions around your home to reduce water usage. 

    Thanks to our free advice, the people we’ve worked with have saved on average $319 each on their annual water bills.

    In this DIY Interactive Water Check, we will ask you questions about your household and your current water usage. Based on your answers, we will send you a personalised water saving letter with recommendations to help you save water and money (only available for Watercare customers).

    Before we start, you might want to gather the following things: screw driver, damp cloth, bucket, measuring jug and a stopwatch (most cellphones have one). 

    Take your time working through the 5 sections below. You can open and close sections by clicking on the triangle on the right. For the best results we encourage you to complete all questions and tests, which will take approximately 25-35 minutes.

    You can do the sections in any order and skip questions if they're too tricky. Use the comment box below each section to add more details or ask questions.

    You don't have to finish in one go, just click the button Save my answers and we will send you a link to continue your DIY Interactive Water Check later. Once you've finished, click Submit my answers to send us your answers. 

    • Household details 

    • PERSONAL DETAILS

    • HOT WATER SYSTEM

    • Your type of water heating system will tell us if your water pressure is high or low. If you don't know how your water is heated, locate your hot water system and identify it using the image below. 

      If you have an electric water cylinder, you will need to find out whether it is Low pressure (30 - 120 kPa) or Mains pressure (120 - 1100 kPa). If this isn't written on your cylinder, click here for more ways to identify your pressure. Some electric hot water cylinders may also be outside, in a casing.

      Click on the image to check out different examples of water heating systems:

    • Image-23

    • YOUR CURRENT WATER USAGE

    • To answer the following questions you will need your water bill, ideally the most recent one. 

      Click here if you don't know where on your water bill you can find this information.

    • If you want to find out more about your water bill or the way Watercare charges for water, click here to learn more.  

    • Water saving area 1: Leaks 

    • WATER METER

    • Image-47

    • First, let's find your water meter. Generally, your water meter will be close to the footpath, click here for more detailed instructions on how to find your water meter. Units may have a sub meter under the unit on an incoming pipe. 

      It might be useful to bring a screwdriver to open/lift the water meter cover, as well as a damp cloth to wipe off any mud so you can read your water meter number.

      The following two sections contain questions regarding your water meter.

    • Image-98

    • In the previous section, you identified your Water Meter ID. Compare this to the number on your water meter and make sure that the last five numbers match.

    • If you had trouble finding your water meter or found an issue, please provide us with more details in the comment box at the end of this section.

    • CHECKING FOR LEAKS

    • We'll now do a quick check for a large leak, followed by a 4-8 hour small leak test. 

    • Image-82

    • If the red digits are moving, you likely have a large leak or multiple leaks. You’ll need to find the leak(s) and have it repaired as soon as possible:

      • Look for damp patches and cracked concrete in the garden, lawn or driveway during dry weather
      • Look under the house, shine a torch on pipes and on the ground to check for drips or wet spots
      • Check if your hot water cylinder has wet patches around it or if water is dripping from the overflow pipe
      • Listen for running water in your house when no taps, hoses or showers are turned on
      • Look for drips or wet areas at your taps and behind appliances like dishwasher and washing machine 
      • Look for mould or dampness on floors and walls
      • Check if your toilet has a constant slow drip or trickle running down the back of the toilet bowl

    • TOILET LEAKS

    • One of the most common leaks in a household is water leaking from the toilet cistern into the toilet bowl.

      Let's do a quick and easy toilet leak test: place a square of toilet paper on the back in your toilet bowl. If water spreads onto the toilet paper this indicates a leak from the cistern into your toilet bowl. 

    • Image-107

    • LEAK TEST

    • Even if you haven't found anything obvious, you might have a hidden leak. Therefore, it's very important to do a leak test.

      How to do a leak test:

      1. Choose 4-8 hours when no one in your home will use any water (for example during the night, a day out or overnight trip)

      2. Write down the numbers at the meter (or take a photo).   

      3. Don’t use water for 4-8 hours (longer helps you pick up smaller leaks)

      NB: make sure you are NOT closing the tap at your water meter

      4. Go back to the meter and write down the number again. If your second reading is different than the first one, you have identified a leak. 


    • EEK, I HAVE A LEAK!

    • Identified a leak? Find the leak and have it repaired as soon as possible. Even small drips can add up quickly on your water bill!

      For large leaks: 

      • While waiting for repairs, you can turn your water off at the water meter to prevent water wastage, for example overnight or when no one is home. 
      • Keep your plumber’s invoice as you might be eligible for a credit by applying for a leak allowance.

      For toilet leaks:

      • There is a tap on the wall by your toilet, which lets water into the cistern. Turn this off overnight or after flushing to reduce water wastage.
      • Contact a plumber or do an online search for ‘leaking toilet’ plus your toilet make, as you may simply need to adjust a valve or replace a washer.

      Extra support:

      • Unable to pay outstanding water bills? Apply for support from the Water Utility Customer Assistance Trust.
      • Let us know if you are unable to afford plumbing repairs, as there are support services available.
    • Water saving area 2: Bathroom 

    • Showers and taps combined make up almost half of our household's water use! Therefore big savings can be made through small changes in the bathroom.

    • SHOWERS

    • The shower is the easiest area to save water (and electricity!) in your household. Keep your showers to 4 minutes with help of Watercare’s Shower Songs playlist.

      Check out the Shower Quiz from Smart Water to find out exactly how much money you can save by changing your shower time. 

    • FLOW RATES

    • Flow rates describe the amount of water coming out of a tap or shower fitting. We measure flow rates in litres per minute, around 9 litres per minute is an ideal rate.

      Do this simple test to see if your shower uses too much water:

      • You'll need a bucket, a measuring jug and a stopwatch (most cellphones will have a stopwatch)
      • Turn the shower on at the pressure and temperature you normally use
      • Catch all the water from the shower for six seconds and measure it

      Click here to watch a video of how to do this test.

    • TAPS

    • If you measured a high flow rate for your shower or tap, it’s likely the other water fixtures in your household will have a high flow rate too. Have a go at testing the flow rates of any other showers and taps in your house.

      If you find any other flow rates higher than 9 litres per minute, list the location of these taps and/or showers plus the flow rate you measured in the comment box below. 

       

      The top tip for saving water in the bathroom is reduce your shower flow rate with a flow restrictor or low flow showerhead. When buying showerheads or taps, look at the Water Rating label (see image below) and aim for at least 3 stars or a flow rate of 9 litres per minute or less.

      Click here to see all our top tips for saving water in the bathroom.

    • Image-114
    • Water Saving area 3: Laundry 

    • The laundry amounts to 25% of your household water use. That’s the second highest after bathrooms, so another area where you can make great savings!

    • The top tip for saving water in the laundry is to save up your laundry and wash full loads as small loads use a higher percentage of water. 

      Check if your machine has an eco setting, this cycle may run for longer but can save you both water and power.  

      Click here to read more tips for saving water when doing laundry.

    • Water Saving area 4: Kitchen 
    • Image-108

    • The top tip for saving water in the kitchen is to wash full loads of dishes once a day or once your dishwasher is full.

      Click here to read more tips for saving water in the kitchen.

    • Water Saving area 5: Gardening 

    • The final area where we can save water is in the garden. There are multiple ways to use less water and still have a healthy vegetable garden.

    • The top tip for saving water in the garden is to water less frequently. Watering less often promotes deeper root growth, every 3-5 days without rain is enough.

      Click here to see our top tips for saving water when gardening.

    • Should be Empty: